Welcome to My Kitchen

Zucchini abound in Odessa gardens now that some hot weather has arrived. If you are looking for zucchini you don’t have to search very far, just ask a few neighbors or friends and soon you will have plenty to try the recipes in this column. I have been overwhelmed with zucchini recipes. Though I have plenty of zucchini, I have not enough time to test drive all these recipes.

Joyce McClanahan agreed to test out Cindi Bell’s recipe for Vegan Zucchini Bread. She reported that the recipe worked out well and she shared a loaf of this moist nut and flax seed laced bread. This could work as a more nutritious base for fruitcake, using dried fruit instead of the usual citron and candied cherries.

Vegan Zucchini Bread

6 Tbsp ground flax seed

1/2 cup, plus 1 Tbsp warm water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 cups brown sugar, packed

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups grated zucchini

2 cups un-sifted all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp ground nutmeg

optional: chocolate chips, chopped nuts or raisins.

Grease and flour two loaf pans and set aside. ( Joyce used baking spray and the loaves came out of the pans just fine). Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl combine flax seed and warm water. In a separate bowl, combine oil, applesauce, brown sugar, vanilla and zucchini. Add this mixture to the flax seed and stir well.

In another bowl, combine all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and spices. Add this mixture to the zucchini mixture, stirring until just moist. Don’t over mix. Fold in optional ingredients, if using. Note: if you want a truly vegan recipe, don’t use chocolate chips as most varieties have some animal products in them)

Divide mixture evenly between prepared pans and bake 45-55 minutes. Yield: 2 loaves.

Note: Joyce added pecans to the loaf I sampled, a very good addition.

Several people have commented to me lately that whole wheat often smells rancid to them after being open awhile. Whole wheat tends to take on flavors of surrounding items more than other flours do. My recommendation is to keep it in an airtight glass container. Some cooks recommend keeping the container in the freezer.

I tried another of Cindi Bell’s zucchini recipes, this one for Zucchini Cookies. What I like about this cookie is it doesn’t get sticky and it is flavored with cloves, but no molasses, so the clove flavor really comes through.

Zucchini Cookies

1 cup grated zucchini

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1 egg, beaten

2 cups flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Very lightly grease two baking sheets and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl combine zucchini, baking soda, sugar, shortening and egg. Sift together flour, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Blend into zucchini mixture. Stir in nuts and raisins.

Drop mixture by rounded teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake 12-15 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Yield: about 3 1/2 dozen cookies.

Joyce Goodale of Washougal, WA, daughter of the late Mrs. Emma Jean Napier, shared her recipe for Zucchini Jam with me quite a few years back. I just had opportunity to make it this year, and it is wonderful. Peel the zucchini and even the most ardent zucchini haters could be fooled.

Zucchini Jam

6-7 cups peeled and grated zucchini, seedy parts removed

3/4 cup water or juice drained from pineapple

1 package regular pectin

1 cup drained crushed pineapple

4 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup lemon juice

1 (6 ounce) package regular orange gelatin

In a large kettle, simmer zucchini in water or juice, covered, for 50 minutes, stirring often.

Add pectin, pineapple, sugar and lemon juice, stirring well to combine. Bring to a boil and boil hard for 10 minutes, stirring to prevent scorching. Stir in gelatin and mix well. Remove from heat and ladle into hot sterilized jars and seal. The recipe doesn’t call for it but I recommend a 10 minute water bath processing to ensure good shelf life. You may also cool slightly and place in freezer containers, refrigerate until completely cooled, then store in the freezer. Yield: 7 1/2-8 cups jam.

This next recipe is certainly not edible but may come in handy considering the number of skunk sightings around town. Leanna Schafer found this recipe on About.com, for removing skunk smell from dogs.

De-skunk Solution

1 quart hydrogen peroxide

1/4 cup baking soda

1-2 tsp liquid soap

warm water

If at all possible set up a washing station out doors.

In a disposable plastic container, combine first 3 ingredients, mixing well. Add a little warm water if your dog is large. Solution will fizz. Use immediately.

Place a little mineral oil on your dogs eyes to protect. DO NOT wash the dog first, works best on a dry coat.Using disposable water proof gloves, promptly begin cleaning you dog starting with the most affected areas, message the solution deep into the dogs coat. Allow the solution to remain on the dog for at least 5 minutes, longer if strong odor persists. Rinse your dog well with lukewarm water. Repeat as necessary until odor is gone.

Dry your dog and give them a treat. (that is what the recipe says, personally I think they have won the, Bad Dog, No Biscuit Award)

Share your favorite edible recipes, and other useful kitchen information, by sending them to: Welcome to My Kitchen, c/o The Odessa Record, P.O. Box 458, Odessa, WA 99159, or drop them in the Welcome to My Kitchen mail tin in The Odessa Record office. Plant fall crop lettuce on Labor Day.